The College of Liberal Arts at Auburn University hosted an artist lecture and reception for “A Letter Edged in Black 5: Black Object” by Pete Schulte.
In his opening lecture, Schulte discussed his upbringing and how art came into his life. The artist shared his inspiration behind the exhibit.
Schulte is currently an assistant professor at the University of Alabama. His work has been featured in magazines including “Art in America” and “Art Examiner.” Schulte has several exhibits being featured in New York, Atlanta and Nashville.
During his lecture, he described his upbringing as being “removed from art.”
Most of his childhood was spent with his sports-minded father at gymnasiums. However, he found a creative guide in his grandfather, who was interested in photography.
“Art was not frowned upon, but also not considered at all,” Schulte said.
The artist is known for drawings being the cornerstone of most of his pieces. He first began with graphite and paper. However, he has progressed and is now working with a few colorful pigments.
His first drawing, “Quiet Please, When I am Gone I am Gone,” came about in 2005. During the lecture the drawing was described as a “trapezoidal shape, which was simple and unassuming.” Though he saw his first drawing as simple, it brought about questions of shape and form and answered what type of artist he wanted to be.
“I have a responsibility to be involved,” Schulte said. “You can’t guard yourself, you have to be vulnerable to do this. I had to turn around and face the world.”
Schulte explained during his lecture that he believes we all have luggage which makes us connect to art in different ways. While some artists say that others don’t understand their art, Schulte wants his art to make contact with people in their own, unique way.
The explanations behind his artwork often come from a current event.
In 2008, Schulte was experiencing the financial crisis along with his upcoming graduation. In this time of uncertainty, his piece, “I had My Face for Shame of Doing Wrong,” came to surface. When school shootings began across the nation, his most valuable graphite color, gunmetal grey, went off the market because of the name. Schulte felt this act had to be shown in his art.
His sculptures signified the current state of the nation. The aluminum sculpture, “Wall in Flat Black,” is a 200-pound concrete sphere. His point of connection was current events that he saw as “relentless and inexplicable.”
Wall drawings are something new to Schulte. In the Jeff Bailey Gallery in New York City, his first wall drawing is displayed. During his lecture, Schulte explained how drawing to scale is much more difficult when you are dealing with a large wall. These drawings take over the entire wall, and sometimes are the size of the average man and woman.
Schulte believes the “role of an artist is to affirm life.” He has taken graphite drawings, along with sculptures, to portray not only his feelings in his creative space, but also current events.
The “A Letter Edged in Black 5: Black Object” Exhibition by Pete Schulte, is open to the public from October 5 to November 7 in Biggin Hall Gallery.
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